


9. Self-Inflicted

by love_write_edit_sleep



Series: NATM 31 Fic Challenge [9]
Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: (Sorry Kah i still love you), M/M, McPhees parents are as fucked up as kahmenrah, TW: Self Harm, tw: child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-04 21:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15155759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_write_edit_sleep/pseuds/love_write_edit_sleep
Summary: Someone spots self-inflicted scars on teenage Nicky’s arms and tells Larry. Attila realizes what the scars on McPhee’s arms are.





	9. Self-Inflicted

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Again, sorry, I changed the original plot a bit. I don’t know Larry’s past, so I made it up. Don’t judge me.

 

**** “Woah, it’s so easy when you put it like that!” Nicky exclaimed as he quickly scribbled down the answer to the maths question that had stumped him all night. Teddy chuckled.

“I must admit, it took me a long time to understand this books methods of solving such a problem.” Teddy indicated to the textbook.

“I’m done!” Nicky slammed his workbook shut. “Can I go see Jed and Octavius now? Dad said I could do what I want when I finished.”

“Then I don’t see why not, dear boy.” Teddy smiled. “Go enjoy yourself.”

“Thanks, Teddy.” Nicky wasted no time running out the office. Teddy shook his head fondly and packed the boy’s things into his school bag.

* * *

Nicky couldn’t help but run as he headed to the miniature dioramas, so much so that he didn’t notice the figure in front of him until he’d collided with it, knocking them and himself to the floor.

“Hey, slow down!” Nicky blinked as a hand was offered out to him. He looked up as he reached up took it, realising he’d ran into McPhee.

“McPhee! God, I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” McPhee assured him. “Just… watch where you’re going, yeah?”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks!” Nicky nodded before running off again. McPhee would have called after him to slow down, if he wasn’t still in shock at the sight of multiple red horizontal lines across the teenager’s wrist when he’d taken his hand.

* * *

“Um… L-Larry?” McPhee swallowed nervously, approaching the night guard, who was sitting with Ahkmenrah in the Pharaoh’s tomb on the steps leading up to his display. “C-c-can I talk to you…?”

“Yeah, sure you can, are you okay?” Larry asked, standing with worry evident on his face.

“Um… I-I… It’s not about me, it’s, um… I-It’s Nick.”

“Nick?” Larry asked. McPhee nodded.

“He, um… I-I don’t know if you’re, um, aware… H-He has, um, o-on his wrists? Um, cuts a-and lots of them… I-I’m sorry, Larry…”

“Oh, God… I-I’ll be right back, Ahk…” Larry stammered, running as fast as he could out of the exhibit. Ahkmenrah blinked.

“Wh-what does that mean?” He asked, standing fearfully. “Cuts on his wrists?”

“I-it usually means he’s, um… done them to himself.” McPhee refused to make eye-contact with the Pharaoh. 

“By Ra…” Ahkmenrah whispered. “What would drive a person to do such a thing to themselves…?”

McPhee didn’t reply.

* * *

“Nicky!” Larry cried, running through the main hall in a frenzy. No-one had ever seen the night guard so frantic, not since his first few disaster days. “Nicky?!”

“Woah there, Lawrence!” Teddy caught the night guard, halting him. “Slow down, tell me what the matter is.”

“Wh-where’s Nicky?” Larry cried. “Nicky?!”

“Dad?” Nicky emerged from the hall of Miniatures, Attila at his side. “Are you okay?”

“Nicky…” Larry whispered, breaking away from Teddy and immediately rushing over to Nicky, pulling his Son into an embrace. Whether it was for his own benefit or Nicky’s, he couldn’t say for sure.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Nicky asked, fear creeping in his voice. McPhee, unnoticed, watched from the upper hall, as Ahkmenrah rushed down the stairs to join them. Eventually, Larry pulled away and slid up the sleeve of Nicky’s hoodie. Nicky jumped back, pulling his sleeve back down, but the damage was done. 

His dad had seen.

“Nicky… Wh-why didn’t you tell me? D-does your Mom know? Why didn’t you  _ say _ ?”

“I-I don’t want to talk about this here…” Nicky whispered. Larry nodded.

“Okay. Okay, let’s go to the office, yeah?” Larry wrapped an arm around Nicky’s shoulder’s pulling him close as the two made their way to the office together. 

“What…?” Teddy blinked. 

“Dr McPhee says Nicky has intentionally harmed himself.” Ahkmenrah explained. Teddy gasped softly.

“The poor boy… The pain he must be enduring to inflict such damage upon himself…”

“MeePhoo.” Attila’s head shot up, as though he’d just surprised himself.

“What is it, dear friend?” 

“ _ Scared kitten same scars.” _

Ahkmenrah paled.

“He says Dr McPhee has the same scars.” He whispered, looking up at the balcony. 

McPhee stumbled back and ran.

* * *

“Hey…” Larry whispered, reaching across and placing his hand gently over Nicky’s wrist. “I’m not gonna yell at you or love you any less or whatever things your mind is telling you, okay? I’m just worried and I want to help you. I-I mean, one wrong move, Nicky, and this could kill you…”

“Dad, I’m not gonna kill myself…”

“Maybe you don’t plan to, but it could happen.”

“I’m not-”

“My Dad died in a car accident on his way home from cheating on my Mom. When my Mom found out, she killed herself. I was 16, Nicky. The same age as you.” Larry buried his face in his hands. “I can’t lose the only family I have left, Nick…”

“I was gonna tell you…” Nicky whispered. “Just… it never seemed like a good time. You’re happy all the time now, I don’t wanna ruin that.”

“Nicky, listen to me.” Larry leaned forward. “You could never ruin anything. Well, except for my hockey record.” Larry and Nicky shared a laugh. “You can talk to me.”

“Just…” Nicky sighed. “Things are really hard at school, Dad… My grades are going downhill and I feel like I can’t do anything right and I don’t know what I want to do with my life… I don’t know, one thing lead to another and the next thing I knew, I couldn’t stop…”

“Come here…” Larry whispered, moving to sit beside his Son. He pulled him into a side hug, rubbing his upper arm. “I’m gonna help you out, okay? For now, why don’t I get Sac to look at your wrist, make sure it’s not infected or anything?”

“Can Teddy come too?” Nicky asked. “I-I think he’d be good with advice.”

“Sure, I’ll ask him.”

* * *

“Hey, what’s going on?” Larry asked as he rejoined Ahkmenrah and Teddy.

“McPhee has hidden from us.” Ahkmenrah whispered, looking up at Larry.

“Shit, have you been crying?” Larry asked. Ahkmenrah scowled.

“There is too much pain and suffering in this world, Larry Daley.” Teddy spoke for the Pharaoh. “Too much for our dear King.”

“McPhee has the same scars.” Ahkmenrah explained.

“Fuck… Okay, um, Teddy, can you help Sac and Nicky in the office? He wanted you there.”

“Of course, Lawrence.” Teddy dipped his hat before turning to leave. Larry turned to Ahkmenrah and forced a smile.

“We’ll find him, okay?”

“Okay.”

* * *

“McPhee?” Ahkmenrah called as he searched the upper halls. He froze when he heard a sniffle, so quiet he had to hold his breath to hear the sniffle that followed. He followed the sound to a supply closet and knocked on the door gently. “McPhee?”

_ “I’m not in here.” _

Ahkmenrah smiled softly and pulled the door open. McPhee blinked up at him.

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Ahkmenrah asked.

“You found me.”

“You must have been champion of hide and seek when you were young.” Ahkmenrah smiled kindly, sitting beside McPhee. McPhee nodded.

“I had to be good at hiding.”

“Because of your parents.” Ahkmenrah finished. McPhee pulled his knees to his chest. “It’s also because of your parents that you harm yourself.”

“Harmed.” McPhee corrected. “I haven’t hurt myself for five years now.”

“That is a long time.” Ahkmenrah smiled. “I’m very proud.”

“Thanks.” McPhee sniffed. The Pharaoh couldn’t help himself; he took McPhee’s arm in his hand and rolled his sleeve up, revealing multiple old scars, one of which was vertical down his wrist. Ahkmenrah traced them with his finger; McPhee let him.

“What do this one mean?” Ahkmenrah asked, tracing the vertical one.

“I’d had enough.” McPhee confessed. Neither noticed Larry beside the door, having finally found them. He stayed out of sight, but in ear shot. “I didn’t want to live anymore, so…”

“You tried to end your own life.” Ahkmenrah finished.

“I failed. Obviously.” McPhee laughed nervously. “I ended up in hospital. They saw the bruises and stuff from my parents. Father said to tell them I’d fallen down the stairs or he’d finish the job I’d failed to do, so…”

“You did as he asked?”

“Of course not.” McPhee forced a laugh. “I was in hospital because I’d wanted to die, why would threatening to kill me stop me?”

“What happened?”

“The nurse didn’t believe me.”

“That can’t have been good for you when you returned home.”

“Father pushed me down the stairs.” McPhee muttered. “I fractured my arm and broke a rib. I went back to hospital because a neighbour heard me screaming. Then the Nurse finally believed me and my parents fled. I haven’t seen them since.”

“I will personally ensure they regret ever touching you.” Ahkmenrah scowled. “They will rue the days they caused you pain and will suffer the consequences. I shall endeavor to form an army to inflict every method of torture known from every century upon them and I will not stop until they are scarred and bleeding from every inch of skin.”

“Too dark.” McPhee smiled. “But thanks, that means a lot, I think.”

“There you are.” Larry made his presence known at last. “You had us worried.” He couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of McPhee’s scars as the Curator stood with Ahkmenrah.

“I’m fine. Sorry.” McPhee muttered, pulling his sleeve down. “Is Nicky alright?”

“He will be.” Larry smiled. “Thank you, for telling me.”

“I know you’d have wanted to know.” McPhee forced a smile in return.

“MeePhoo!” 

Before McPhee could blink, he was suddenly enveloped in a bundle of metal and fur. He laughed, trying to wriggle free, but failing.

“Atli, stop!” McPhee giggled madly. Attila let go of him, a look of concern on his face. McPhee took the huns face in his hands. “I’m fine.”

“ _ Scared kitten strong, scared kitten brave.” _

“When are you going to stop calling me scared kitten? I’m not scared-”

“Boo!”

“Ah!” McPhee jumped and clung to Attila’s arm, Larry sniggering from beside him. 

“Don’t do that!” McPhee and Ahkmenrah cried over each other. 

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

* * *

Larry would be lying if he said he didn’t keep a closer eye on his Son, and on McPhee.

Though he wished he could convince Ahkmenrah that the world was not as bad as it seemed.


End file.
